Workshop 4

Abstract

Date/time/location: This workshop will take place during the week beginning 9 th November 2015. As usual the workshops will last for two hours with a ten minute break in the middle. You should attend the workshop with the members of your chosen group for the assignment as much of the session will be focussed on the result of group work carried out in advance. Preparation: You and your group will need to choose two organisations and devise a strategic alliance between them. In order to justify your recommendation you will need to use a range of internal analysis, stakeholder and network strategy/strategic alliance models covered in the lectures and readings for weeks 4, 5, 6 and 7. You should also ensure you have read chapters 2, 4 and the latter half of chapter 6 from the Thompson et al. (2013) textbook. You and the members of your group should prepare a PowerPoint (or equivalent) presentation based on the following scenario: You are a team of consultants advising a social network website (such as Facebook, Bebo, LinkedIn, MySpace, 51.com, Renren, Odnoklassniki, vkontakte, Orkut, etc.) considering a strategic alliance with a mobile telecoms handset manufacturer. Your presentation should set the scene by identifying and giving a brief introduction to both organisations, but should then focus on the strengths and weaknesses your research into the two organisations has uncovered. You should analyse the resources and capabilities of each and consider their value, rarity and inimitability etc. You should also consider the stakeholders that will have power over and interest in the strategic alliance and whether the alliance is consistent with each organisation's purpose, vision, mission and long term objectives. Using your analysis to provide justification you should make clear recommendations to the social network firm regarding the actions they need to take to drive the strategic alliance forward and the benefits they would gain from the alliance. The presentation should last no more than 15 minutes – including time for questions.